Hotel Heliotrope

I really loved this hotel. The rooms were lovely apart from the stairs but the view made up for it! It had table tennis, pool and a table football table which would be great for the kids.
The staff are really nice especially Stella the bar maid. I think she was everyone’s favourite. The only person I didn't like was the woman at reception who was really nasty.
The breakfast and dinners there were really good and had a different variety each day. It is about a 10 minute walk to the town and the beach which have a different range of water sports there. I tried the parasailing which I loved. Also the shops and bars are open till quite late. I think this was the best holiday I have ever been on. I am certainly thinking of going back!

My husband and I were a bit apprehensive about going here after reading the reviews but we've got to say it was one of the best holidays we have ever been on.
The room was basic, as every room in Greece usually is, it has two beds, two wardrobes and a bathroom, everything you need on holiday, somewhere to lay your head, hang your clothes and get washed. The rooms are just plain white with dark wood shutters, which were great for keeping the morning sun out.
There are a lot of stairs at the hotel but there is a lift. The view from the hotel was fantastic. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The cleaners came in everyday. The sheets got changed when we were there and fresh towels were given to us three times, which is good considering some places don't change your sheets all week.
You get charged 10 euros per week for the fridge, 35 euros for the air conditioning and 10 euros for the safe. The only charge extra for these things because the electricity over there is expensive and it's not compulsory to get these things.
The food was nice, we are fussy eaters so we didn't eat there every night but when we did eat there the food was delicious, well cooked and very tasty. There was soup and rolls for starters, a pasta dish, two meats and chips or potatoes for main course, there was a salad bar and there was always fruit and a cake of some sort for desert. We only made breakfast once and that also was fine, there was sausage, bacon (although it was streaky), boiled eggs, and fresh rolls. The salad bar was opened, and tea, coffee and orange juice.
The walk into Stalis main town was about 5 mins, nothing to moan about. Malia costs 8 euros in a taxi.
The pool at the hotel has the sun all day, good if you are a sun worshipper. You don't get charged for sun loungers.
The pool bar at night is great, George the bar man makes it. He is very funny. We spent most nights there having a laugh with him and the other guests. The town is nice at night also but the pool bar was easier to roll up to bed from.
We booked excursions with the reps, the Cretan night and the boat trip. We paid 42 euros each for both trips but when we went into town we found that the Cretan night was only 28 euros each and the boat trip was only 15 euros although you don't get your lunch on these boat trips. Also the rep failed to inform us that we would be on a bus for an hour and a half picking up other people from other hotels on the way to the trips and about an hour on the way back. Also you don't get picked up from the hotel or dropped off there either.
All in all, for a 2 star hotel, it was great value for money, we'd have said it was at least 3 stars. Yes the rooms were basic and there were extra charges but its not over the top charges.

If you like every piece of wood in your room painted in the darkest brown you could imagine, a picture on the wall of what could easily pass as a dungeon, school dinner standard food (baked beans and scrambled egg for breakfast nearly every day).
Excess charges (safe, A/C, fridge!!!!!) which can add £40 to a weeks stay, then this is the place for you. This place is run on a very tight budget and it shows...................Fantastic view though.